Meunier-Lebouc denies Sorenstam third straight Kraft Nabisco title

Patricia Meunier–Lebouc shook off an out–of–bounds tee shot with some steady play in the final holes here today to win the Kraft Nabisco by a shot, denying Annika Sorenstam's bid to become the first LPGA player to win the same major title three years in a row.

Meunier–Lebouc birdied the 13th hole to take the lead, then parred her way in before a meaningless 3–putt bogey on the final hole gave her a 1–over 73 and a one–shot win over Sorenstam.

"I really feel very happy," Meunier–Lebouc said before taking the ceremonial victor's plunge into the pond next to the 18th green.

Eighth–grader Michelle Wie was never a factor, missing several short putts to finish eight shots back after a final–round 76. The 13–year–old Hawaiian began the day four strokes behind Meunier–Lebouc for the lead.

Meunier–Lebouc, the best female player in France, beat the best in the world by playing Sorenstam's game of fairways and greens and doing it just a little bit better to finish at 7–under for the tournament.

She knew it well, after playing her last six rounds with Sorenstam and using the knowledge gathered to remain composed under the pressure of playing a final round in a major championship.

"I actually felt pretty good out there," Meunier–Lebouc said.

Meunier–Lebouc eagled the second hole by pitching in, but her celebration turned to disgust one swing later when her tee shot on the third hole went out of bounds.

She played steadily from there on, though, and after safely reaching the green on the 18th hole in three, she needed to only get down in three to win. She did, then was carried into the pond for a celebratory swim by her husband, Antoine, a pro himself.

Sorenstam had won the last two Kraft Nabiscos and was trying to become the first LPGA player to win the same major three times in a row. She has 42 wins to just one for Meunier–Lebouc, who won the State Farm Classic last year.

It was Sorenstam, though, who cracked, three–putting the 13th hole after taking the lead with a birdie the hole before and then nearly hitting her next shot on the 14th hole into the water.

"Unfortunately, I made two mistakes on 13 and 14," Sorenstam said. "After that I was trying to chase her the last few holes."

Sorenstam was two strokes down going into the par–5 18th hole and pulled out her driver, trying to get it close enough to go for the green in two.

But she hit it in the bunker, hit her next shot in another bunker and missed a 25–footer from the fringe for birdie.

"I was swinging so hard on that drive," Sorenstam said. "I had nothing to lose. It was all or nothing."

Sorenstam finished with a 1–under 71 for second place, a stroke ahead of rookie Lorena Ochoa, who shot a final–round 68.

It was the second straight week Sorenstam had a chance to win, and both times she lost with a final–round 71.

Wie hung around but never really challenged for the lead, despite the urging of a fan who held up a sign reading "We Love Wiesy." She was three shots back at the turn but 3–putted the par–5 11th after hitting the green in two.

"That just brought me down," said Wie, who went on to 3–putt the 15th hole, too.

Still, she finished with a par on the 18th hole that left her at even par and in a tie for ninth, one better than the 10th–place finish of 13–year–old Aree Song three years ago.

"I think I played pretty well all day," Wie said. "I'm real happy about the score."

Sorenstam wasn't all that unhappy with her score, either, though her putter let her down throughout the tournament.

She missed makable birdie putts on the front nine before finally holing a 5–footer on 10 that tied her for the lead and a 20–footer on 12 that gave her a one–shot advantage.

But just as Sorenstam took the lead, she gave it right back. Sorenstam 3–putted the 13th hole and then bogeyed the next hole, despite a fortunate bounce off the rock fronting the green that kept the ball out of the water.

"There's really no excuse for making bogey that way," she

No one else made a charge on a picture–perfect day with light breezes, though Ochoa made it a bit more interesting with three birdies on the back nine to finish two shots back.

Collated final scores from the Kraft Nabisco Championship Rancho Mirage, California (USA unless stated, Par 72, *denotes amateur):

281 Patricia Meunier–Lebouc (Fra) 70–68–70–73

282 Annika Sorenstam (Swe) 68–72–71–71

283 Lorena Ochoa (Mex) 71–70–74–68

284 Laura Davies (Gbr) 70–75–69–70

287 Laura Diaz 76–71–69–71,Beth Daniel 75–74–68–70, Catriona Matthew (Gbr)71–74–72–70, Maria Hjorth (Swe) 72–72–73–70

288 Jennifer Rosales (Phi) 74–70–72–72, *Michele Wie 72–74–66–76

290 Woo–Soon Ko (Kor) 74–73–70–73, Rosie Jones 71–75–72–72, Cristie Kerr 74–71–74–71, Juli Inkster 75–74–66–75

291 Dorothy Delasin 71–71–76–73, Se Ri Pak (Kor) 71–72–71–77, Karen Stupples (Gbr) 71–71–76–73, Catrin Nilsmark (Swe) 71–78–73–69, Dawn Coe–Jones (Can)72–74–72–73

292 Hee–Won Han (Kor)73–74–75–70

293 Jeong Jang (Kor) 75–73–76–69, Danielle Ammaccapane 75–68–78–72, Karrie Webb (Aus) 70–79–71–73, Michele Redman 70–72–76–75, *Virada Nirapathpongporn 76–72–72–73, *Aree Song 72–77–73–71

294 Leta Lindley 76–70–75–73

295 Christina Kim (Kor) 72–76–71–76, Candie Kung 74–75–74–72, Charlotta Sorenstam (Swe) 73–74–71–77, Tammie Green 77–71–73–74, Betsy King 75–74–70–76,

296 Vicki Goetze–Ackerman 75–74–74–73., Heather Bowie 72–78–72–74, Amy Fruhwirth 73–75–75–73, Heather Daly–Donofrio 74–77–72–73, Moira Dunn 74–80–73–69, Meg Mallon 72–76–73–75

297 Jackie Gallagher–Smith 75–74–74–74, Beth Bauer 74–76–70–77, Lorie Kane (Aus) 72–72–78–75

298 Michelle Ellis 71–75–74–78, Raquel Carriedo 78–76–71–73, Brandie Burton 74–78–72–74, Gloria Park (Kor)73–74–74–77, Kelly Robbins 72–79–74–73

299 Natalie Gulbis 77–75–78–69, Rachel Teske 75–76–70–78, Liselotte Neumann (Swe) 75–73–73–78, Wendy Ward 74–74–74–77

300 Angela Stanford 75–75–76–74, Barb Mucha 76–75–73–76, Sophie Gustafson (Swe) 74–76–74–76, Dottie Pepper 74–76–76–74, Kelli Kuehne 74–78–79–69, Pat Hurst 76–73–77–74–

301 Laurel Kean 75–75–77–74, Mi Hyun Kim (Kor) 75–76–73–77, Nanci Bowen 77–74–76–74, Kim Saiki 71–77–76–77, Akiko Fukushima (Jpn) 74–72–75–80, Joanne Morley (Gbr) 73–76–76–76, *Lindsey Wright 74–78–75–74, Shani Waugh 73–75–81–73

302 Emilee Klein 80–74–73–75, Helen Alfredsson (Swe) 76–74–72–80,Janice Moodie (Gbr) 74–75–76–77, Donna Andrews 72–73–79–78, Stephanie Louden 75–74–77–76

303 Patty Sheehan 73–74–75–81

304 Mhairi McKay (Gbr) 75–79–78–72, Suzanne Strudwick (Gbr) 76–75–77–76

305 Tina Fischer (Ger) 75–79–74–77

306 Tracy Hanson 72–75–81–78

307 Kasumi Fujii (Jpn) 73–75–77–82, Yu Ping Lin (Kor) 78–76–78–75

308 Pat Bradley 76–76–81–75, Dale Eggeling 79–74–79–78, Mardi Lunn 80–74–78–79––311